Political Campaign's Success on Social Media

Blogs and other news sites regularly provide guidance and insight on how businesses can improve their social media efforts. As a corresponding resource for the non-profit world, More Donors finds the best and most timely topics to share through a pair of non-profit spectacles. This is a look at how political campaigns are using social media for real results. Previous postings of: Through Non-Profit Eyes.

Some characteristics of successful political campaigns and how you can use them to improve your NPO's reach and impact:

Transparency and Credibility

Per Mashable.com: "Spin and misinterpretation can cloud a political message as it passes from candidate, to spokesperson, to media, to public. But this chain can be broken by something as simple as a Facebook update." There is a distinct parallel between this and an NPO's constituents. All too often, the case for support and impact of a donor's support can get lost in mass communications - particularly the impact of an annual gift of relatively smaller size.

• Transparency is craved by donors, as many recent reports have found. By using social media to highlight how decisions are made and prioritized by your leadership, donors and prospects will feel more engaged in the process.
• Credibility has a similar impact on gaining your prospects' trust. This can best be obtained by having actual leadership in your organization posting updates and tweets for followers to see. For example, note Tulane's athletic director, Rick Dickson:

Highly Targeted and Inexpensive Ads

• As we have known for some time, the social web can be a cost-effective medium for targeted advertising.
• Most importantly, you can target your audience specifically by various demographics, closely monitor spending and keep an eye on analytics better than media like television and radio.

Let the People Be Your Voice

• This is obviously the greatest power of social media (hence the social). Gaining the trust and attention of your social media constituents can turn them into advocates with the appropriate call-to-action.
• Do not forget that email needs to part of the engagement. Your messages should have direct and proactive ways to get your email recipients engaged via social media.

Improving Public Service

• Again, per Mashable: “Ivory Tower Syndrome is a problem in every sphere — including politics — where influence and money can divide those in office from the people they serve. Social media can democratize information and reconnect politicians to the vox populi."
• The term ivory tower has biblical roots, but is most commonly used today in the higher education context. Most non-profits, regardless of size, can do a better job of connecting donors, leaders and beneficiaries.

Image courtesy of Mashable.com

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